DOJ sues 6 blue states over voter registration roll access requirements
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The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday against six blue states — Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington — accusing them of violating federal law by refusing to provide statewide voter registration lists upon request.
Complaints made by DOJ Civil Rights Divisionargues that states have failed to meet their legal obligations under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960, three federal laws that require states to maintain accurate voter lists and make those records available for inspection.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the state’s refusal to release the lists undermines the transparency and accountability that these laws are designed to guarantee.
“Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of fair and free elections, and too many states have fallen into failure to comply with basic voter roll maintenance,” Bondi said in a statement announcing the lawsuits. he said. “The Justice Department will continue to proactively pursue election integrity litigation until states comply with basic election safeguards.”
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The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has filed a new lawsuit against six blue states over access to voter registration data. (Getty Images)
According to the Department of Justice, the agency formally requested each state’s current, statewide voter registration lists and failed to obtain the required records. In each case, the department argues that Congress gave the attorney general express authority to request the production, review and analysis of voter registration data to ensure compliance with federal law.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Civil Rights Division, said the department is increasing enforcement efforts ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
“Our federal election laws ensure that every American citizen can vote freely and fairly,” Dhillon said. he said. “States that continue to defy federal voting laws are interfering with our mission to ensure that Americans have accurate voter rolls when they go to the polls, that every vote counts equally, and that all voters have confidence in election results. This Justice Department will not tolerate this open defiance of federal civil rights laws.”
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Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon arrives for a press conference at the Department of Justice on September 29, 2025 in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The Justice Department says the lawsuits are part of a broader effort to enforce voter registration transparency requirements that Congress put in place to ensure public confidence in election administration. The NVRA requires states to maintain accurate voter lists and produce them upon request; HAVA requires states to modernize and maintain voter registration systems; and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 authorizes the government to inspect and copy certain election records, including voter rolls.
Fox News Digital has reached out to election officials in all six states for comment.
The Justice Department filed suit against six blue states: Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, accusing them of violating federal law by refusing to provide statewide voter registration lists upon request. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Federal officials have increasingly pressured states to comply with voter rolls in recent years, arguing that transparency in registration rolls is essential to maintaining accurate records, preventing administrative errors and ensuring voters have confidence in election results. The Justice Department said the six states named in these new lawsuits have repeatedly failed to comply with the department’s requests.
The cases will now proceed in federal court; Here, judges could order states to turn over voter rolls, set deadlines for compliance or issue injunctions requiring compliance with federal law.
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Election law disputes over access and maintenance of voter rolls have increased across the country as states prepare for the 2026 midterms and the Justice Department’s recent actions demonstrate an aggressive legal stance against states that fail to comply with federal disclosure rules.
The department said it “will continue to pursue proactive election integrity litigation until states comply” and left open the possibility of additional litigation.
